Ornamenting concrete walls



Aug. 31 1926. I 598,132 I w. D. H AM v ORNAMENT-ING CONCRETE wALLs Filed dan. s, 1926 4 sheets-sheet 1 nunnnnnnnaannunaunuanun a a n a n a n a a n :1 n a a n a q n n u n n u a 'n 'n' u a y `r 1 I lll, m n

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Aug. 31 1926.

W. D. HAM

ORNAMENTING CONCRETE WALLS Filed Jan. 5, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 emelim ff-57 @0 manzana-usamos Hammam@ u'uuuunuununnfnu'uunnnui Aug. 31 1926.

v .1,598,132 w.A D. HAM

RNAMENTING CONCRETE WALLS4 Filed Jan. 5. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 zo E jg@ 12 .Deanlern @H701 mz gr Passed Aug. 31, 1926.

UNITED STATES WILLIAIVI DEANE HAM, OF WASHNGTON,

HAMS RIETI-EOD ENGINEERING COMLJATY,

BIA, .A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

DQTRZCT OF GOLMBIA, .PLSSIGNOR TO' THE O3? 'WASHIE'liG-TON, DEST-BIOT OF GOLU'IVI- oaNAMnNTrNe concentre wams.

Application led January rlhis invention relates to the construction of concretewalls for buildings and particularly to the application of decorative features to the walls.

The most serious drawback to the use of concrete as a building material, especially for residence construction or anyother work requiring an attractive surface, has been the lack or apparent lack of decorative possibilities.

` To use tile or other imbedded ornamentation it becomes necessary to fasten such decorative material securely to the inside of the mold surface and this is usually done by means of largeheaded tacks or wire staples passing through holes made in the outer mold or form, requiring a great deal of time in makingmeasurements and lcare and accuracy in placing them to make the work attractive.

To tamp around or 'close lto .such ornamentation has usually resulted in damage or displacement, which must later require a patch to be madeon the outer surface of the wall. As added material such as is necessary to use in covering these defects can not be madeto look like the original-molded wall, the resulting patch is always a -very noticeable and' unsightly disiigurement.

Since thetamping cannot be'done successfully around decorative material, .the concrete mass `in the wall must be vibrated or settled into'place around this ornamentation by means of mallet blows applied to the outside ofthe mold or form. Mallet blows lsufhcient to cause theln'ecessary or `:proper vibration applied ltofordinary wooden forms would split them and if the formsw-ere made of a thickness sufficienti to .resistA the mallet blows they would not; permit sin'iicient vibration to produce. good results. rlhe vibrationA alsowhen applied to steel sheets reinforced with angle or U-bars would cause the rivets-to pulluthrough the sheets and quicklydestroythe effectiveness ofthe form.

One of the main objects of my Iinvention is to provide amethod-of securingthe ornamentation or the decoration tothe mold forms quickly and `in. a. manner whichl avoids any disgurement of. theilinished `wall and which requires noy subsequent patching.

T l'n constructing yconcrete walls in accord- 5, 1926. Serial No. 78,444.

lance withv my invention, vheavy steel plates may be used, and in such'manner that they require no rivets, threaded bolts or nutsto hold them in place. rlihese plates are provided with perfor-ations or holes preferably arranged in regular rows so that almost any Y desired decoration may be fastened to the inner surface of the plates by means of strands of line wireV or wire staples passed' around the decorative object and through' the perforations, the ends of the wire or staples-being twisted togetherfupon the outside of the plates.

After the perfo lations have beendrilled in the plates, the holes or vperforations may be closed by filling themwith any cementitious material that will -hold 'the concrete and will resist the vibration during the-malleting operation and yet may be readilyV removed with a-handpunch wherever'it is necessary to pass thewires or staples' through the plate `in securing the' decorative objects in positionin the mold.

The decorative possibilities'which are thus provided are-almost unlimited since almost any size, shape or weight Vof decorative tile or other object may Ibe fastened to the inner face of the mold plates by means of soft annealed wirefof the proper gauge.

My mold plates prepared as describediwith a multiplicity of puncturable sealed perforations are also especially adapted for panel work because of the ease with which inserts formed of any suitable material, ysuch as wood or rubber, may be attached to the vsurface of the inner side of the moldplate by means of wires or staples passed through or around the panel work, the ends being threaded through theperforations vand twisted together outside'of the plate.

ln practice l'have used steel plates of ten or twelve gauge material, lapproXimately three-sixteenths of an inch thick. These plates may be inserted in the wall mold in any desired position. If the mold boards are one and three-sixteenths inches thick and the plates are made flush' with the outerrsurface of the boards, then the resulting panel will be raised or will stand lout one inch from the surface of t ie wall. If the outer surface of the plate is made liushwith the innersurface of the mold boards, the resulting panel will be imbedded or sunken three siX- teenths of an inch backy of the front face or surface of the wall.

When an ornamentation or decorative ob ject is fastened against the inn-er surface of a mold plate in the manner described, it is necessary to prevent the cement poured into the mold from ventering between the plate and the front face of the ornamentation. For this purpose a piece of paper having the configuration of the object may be pasted to the plate and the object may then be pasted to the paper before being secured with the wires.V After the mold has been removed from the wall, the paper may be soaked and washed od, leaving the ornamentation clean and free from cement. I may also prevent the cement in the mold from flowing in between the ornamentation and the mold plate. by applying melted paraliine or other suitable material around the marginal edge of the ornamental object thus forming a seal between the'plate and they margin-of the object.

In order to more completely describe my invention, I shall refer to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mold for constructing concrete walls and embodyingt-he features of myinvention;

Figure 2 is a partial sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; f

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the concrete Wall formed in Y the mold shown in Figure 2, and showing the manner of inserting a precast ornament;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical -sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing the manner of inserting ornamental tiles in the mold in accordance with my method claimed herein;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the tile ornament inserted in the concrete wall in the manner illustrated in Figure Ll;

Figure 6 illustrates an ornamental panel having the figures standing out in relief;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of a mold taken on the line A-A of Figure 6,

showing the manner of casting thek panel of Figure 6 in the concrete wall;

Figure 8 illustrates an ornamental panel recessed in the face of a concrete wall and having the ornamental figurein relief;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the manner of casting the ornamental panel of Figure 8in the concrete wall;

Figure 10 illustrates in front elevation, a portion of a Vconcrete wall having V-joints embedded into the face of the wall to produce the effect of the well-known ashler courses;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a mold arranged to form the wall shown in Figure 10;

Figure 12 illustrates a front elevation of an ornamental panel recessed in a concrete wall and having the main ornamental figure in intaglio;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a mold structure for casting the ornaniental panel of Figure 12 in a concrete wall, thev section being taken on the line B-l vof Figure 12;

Figure lll is a front elevation of a wall section showing a pre-cast ornamental panel vinserted in a recess molded in the concrete;

and Y Figure 15 is a vertical sectional view on the line A-A of Figure 14, to show that the ornament may be partly in relief and partly in intaglio. y

I have illustrated in Figure 1 a mold form for pouring a concrete wall constructed in vthe ornamentation, decorative objects or dies may be attached.-

These metal plates or panels'lG may be of any desired size and may consist of a single plate or a plurality of plates. at 16, 16, etc. Each plate is provided with a multiplicity of perforations, usually extending throughout the area of the plate,l by drilling small holes 18 in symmetrical arrangement, preferably lin rows extending perpendicular to each other. Then two or more plates are placed side by side to formV a panel, as shown in Figure 1, the perforations at the edges'may be semicircular so that the matched holes at the joint will permit the wire ties 17,`which bind the opposite wall mold boards together. in the manner described in my prior application; to pass through these matched holes.

The metal panel plates 16, extend from the middle of one brace bar 12 to the middle of the next brace bar and when placed in position, they are firmly secured by the removable spacers 14.

In Figure 2, I have shown the manner of providing a recess in a concrete ,wall in which a preecast ornament may be inserted. The metal panel plate 16 is positioned with itsrear face flush with the inner sides of the wooden mold boards 10. As the mold boards are-usually one and three-sixteenths inches thick while the. metal plate is only three-sixteenths of an inch in thickness, filler strips 19, one inch thick are inserted at the margins of the plate between the brace `bars 12 and the plate. A block 20, the size ter the conand shape of the desired recess is then secured to the rear face of theV plate by means of wires 21 passing over the block with the free ends extending through the perforations 1S from which the cement filler has been punched. After the ends have been twisted together, the wiresv may be made taut by driving wedge blocks 23 thereunder in the manner shown in'Figures 1 and 2. Then the concrete wall 25 has been completed, the pre-cast ornament 2&1 may be inserted and cemented in place in the recess thus prepared, as illustrated in Figure 3.

Then the ornamentation yor decorative object is to be cast directly in the wall as the concrete is poured in the mold, the method employed is illustrated in Figure 4. rThe metal panel plate is securedin the mold wall in the manner r previously described. f, for instance, the ornamental tiles 30 surrounded by the border tiles 31 are to constitute the decorative panel as illustrated in Figure 5, these tiles are fastenedto the rear face Iof the plate 10 in the same manner as the die block in F igure 2. After the concrete has been poured, the plate is vibrated by striking it with hammer blows, thereby causing the cement to flow into all of the crevises or angles around the marginal edges of the-tiles. After the cement has set, the wires 21 are cut and the mold plate is removed together with the mold boards. `The paper which was pasted between the. face of the tiles and the plate to exclude the cement is then moistened and washed oil", leavingthe tiles clean and unmarred. The short projecting ends of the fine wires 21 which held the tiles in posi` tion, are clipped close to the face of the tiles, the portions extending behind remaining embedded. No patching or pointing up is required and hence there results a perfect unblemished wall with the ornamentation embodied therein.

One of the most important advantages to be obtained from the use of my invention resides in the facility with which the ornamentation may be molded in the concrete'of the wall, either in relief or in intaglio. 1f it is desired to form a raised panel with the decorative object standing out in relief therefrom, such for instance, as that shown -at 32 in Figure 6, the die for said ornamentation mayV be secured in the mold wall in the manner shown in Figure 7. Since Vthe ornamentation is to stand out in relief from the wall, the metal panel mold plate 16, is made to lit between the vertical channel iron brace members 12 and is fastened thereto at the proper distance forward of the mold boards 10 in any suitable manner, as by interposed marginal strips 19a between the mold boards and the plate, and marginal strips 19 between the front face of the plate and the liner bars or pipes 27, which conscribed.

`nect the vertical brace bars 12, as illust-rated in Figure 1. The forming die or matrix 35 for the ornament 32, may be constructed of any suitable material, such as gelatine, rubber, plaster, etc. The die is tied tothe rear face of the perforated panel plate by means of the wires 21 in the mannerA previously de- The margins of the raised ornament may be vframed in a raisedbevelled edge 36. Y

After the concrete has been poured "into the mold, the plate is vibrated by proper blows ofa mallet'to cause the soft cement to penetrate. into every detail of the die. Then the concrete has set, the tie wires 21 are cut to free the die from the plate 16 and the mold walls are removed. The die'35 is then carefully removed, leaving the ornament-ation in finished condition as an integral part of the wall, the` ornamentation 32 standing out in relief'and framed bythe raised margin 36. l/Vhen the. ends of the fine wires 21 are slipped close to the wall they are invisible. As no nails, bolts or screws were used in securing the die tothe mold walls there 'are no traces of the vfastening means to be pointed up.

My method is equally applicable to the formation of ornamental panels which are recessed in the face of the the ornamental figure or object is either in relief or in intaglio. To make this application of my invention clear, I have illustrated in Figure 8, an ornament 32, forming a raised ligure within arecessed pane'l'32l in the wall` and in Figure 9,1 have show-n the manner of moldingl it in the construction of the wall. Since the entire panel is to form a recess in the face of the wall, the metal panel ino-ld plate 16 `is set back ofthe front face of the mold boards 10 the'desired distance by interposing marginal strips or blocks 19 ofthe proper thickness between the front face of the plate and the frame brace members 12. The plates 16 are wedged in position by the removable spacers lil as previously explained. 'The mold'die 35, constituting the matrix for the ornament 32, is

fastened to the rear face of the perforated metal plate by une tie wires 21, as before.

r1`he remaining steps of the method are the same as for the ligures previously'described.

1n case it is desired to'produce the effect of ashler courses in the face of the wall, such as illustrated in Figure 10, las for instance in the lower courses of a building, at the corners. etc., this may be done very readily by iny method of Quickly attaching die members to the mold plates in a mannerto be readily detached or separated therefrom. For this purpose, I attach to the perforated metal plates 16` strips fr0, triangular insection. and positioned to properly form the "t"- joints 41 of the ashler courses as indicated in Figure 11. This can 4be 'donelvery acwall and in which Vio yspaces bounded by y tool. For instance, it may curately-because of the symmetrical arrangement of the perforations Which extend throughout the plates inroivs .perpendicular to each other. The vertical strips 40 are properly cut at the ends to miter into corresponding notches inthe horizontal strips as Will be evident. Inasinuch as these bevelled strips are free from the plates when the fastening Wires 21 are `severedthe strips Will remain in position Within the V-joint recesses when the plates are removed from the Wall and may then be carefully Withdrawn Without marring the sliarpedges of the V-joints. This results in the Wall face marked off into rectangular blocks 45.

I have alsol devised a method of producing a rock-face or other roughe-ned surface effect upon'the rectangular faces 45. When the bevelled or triangular strips. 40 have been Wired in position, I pour upon the rear face of the plate 16, inl the rectangular the strips, a plastic Acomposition which may be niadeby mixiug melted rosin With bees-Wax. This is preferably done with the plate 21 ininverted horizontal position before securing it in position in the mold Wall. As vsoon as the mixture has hardened vsufficiently to retain an inipression, but While still plastic, I pass over it a suitable tool which produces indentations in a reversed pattern to thereby form a die in accordance with the pattern desired upon the surface of the blocks in the finished Wall. The tool which is used to form the indented pattern in the Wax composition may be constructed in various ivavs and may be applied in a manner suitable to the particular be in the form of a roller having the desired pattern uponits surface and Which is rolled across the surface of vvaX While it is still plastic. Or the tool may be in the form of a cutting tool orv one adapted to scratch the Wax surface.

I deem it advisable to disclose another application of my method of applying ornamentation. vIt is sometimes desirable to produce a sunken or recessed panel inthe Wall Within Which the main ornamental iigure is also sunken or in intaglio, such for instance, as illustrated in Figurel 12. I have shown the marginal frame surrounding this sunken panel formed of tivo parallel beads 46a and 47, in stepped relation, the inner one being ornainented With a decorative pattern in relief. The main intaglio figure, 48, is sunken entirely below the plane of the surface 49 of the recessed panel. To produce these results, the perforated metal plate 16 is positioned with its inner face flush With the inner sides of the Wooden mold boards 10. kRectangular panel boards 46 and 47 in superposed relation yare positioned to form the die for the panel recess and against the center of the rear face of the panel board 47 is positioned the die 48 having thefconfiguration of the mainorna mental figure 48.V The panel boards 46 and' 47 and the die member 48 are then fastened to the perforated metal moldplate by means of the tie Wires 21 Which pass through suit-- able holes drilled through the panel boards and through corresponding perforations y18 in the plate. My method of removably attaching the die members to the perforated metal mold plate so that they may be absolutely detached ,from each other before the mold Walls are removal ensures the integrity of the molded ornamentation and removes all danger of marringits form and beauty during the removal of the mold parts. Thus in the construction shown in Figure 1S, after the fastening Wires 21 have been cut, the metal plate 16 may be removed Without disturbing the panel boards 46 and .47. These vmay then be removed carefully one'at a time, in order not to injure the marginal beads 46a and 47a. Finally the die member 48a may be Withdrawn Without any danger of injury to the indented ornamentation. The projecting Wires 21 are clipped close to the surface of the panel 49, the Wires being so tine that the ends are practically invisible. V

In Figures 14 and 15, I have shown i pre-cast ornamentation providedwith raised and intaglio parts and set into a recess prepared in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, so that the raised and depressed portions Will extend'respectively beyond and behind the face planeof the Wall.`

The advantage of my method of applying the ornamentation resides not only in the facility with Which the decorative object may be quickly and accurately fastened in proper position Within the mold,but also in the facility Withwvhich the mold parts may be removed, leaving the Wall in perfect condition Witli the .ornamentation embedded therein Without the necessity for patching or pointing up around the ornamentation.

I claim:

1. TheY method of-applying surface orna mentation to concrete Walls, which coinprises fastening the decorative objects to the inner face of concrete is pouredV into the mold by passing Wires about the objects and through perforations in the plate.

2. The method of applying surface ornamentation to concrete Walls, which comprises fastening the decorative objects to the inner face of a metal mold plate before the concrete is poured into the mold by passing Wires about the objects and through perforations in the plate and securing the free ends of the Wires.

3. The method of applying surface ornamentation to concrete Walls, which comprises inserting in the mold Wall a metal plate having puncturable .sealed perforaa metal mold plate before the 1-5 concrete building Walls comprising a metal plate provided with a plurality of perito` rations which are sealed or closed With a pnnctnrable material.

6. A Wall member for molds for casting concrete building` Walls comprising a metal plate provided With a'plurality of symmetrieally disposed pertorations arranged in rows and Which are sealed or closed with a punoturable material.

7. In a Wall member as set forth in claim 5, said sealing' materialhavinga eementitious composition. Y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM DEANE HAM. 

